It turns out writing the ending was pretty hard. Here are some of the versions that didn’t make the cut. Enjoy, and thank you for being my readers.
Love,
Ben
—
She passed the bowls through the service window to a flurry of eager hands, then entered the tea room and squeezed in between Alex and Sushi. The fire crackled, mingling the scent of wood smoke with the rich, savory stew as the conversation echoed into the mingling snow dusk of beauty. Fireplace. Stew.
—
She passed bowls of stew and steaming mugs of cider through the service window to a flurry of eager hands, then entered the tea room. A rush of voices greeted her, warm and joyful. She settled in between Alex and Sushi.
“This is good,” Zen announced. “I’m glad we’re here.”
“Hear, hear!” cried Otto.
The friends hoisted their mugs.
“Off on another whirlwind adventure!” they howled in reckless glee.
—
“One for all and all for pie!” Zen chimed in.
“And now,” Sushi finished ominously, “to take over the world!”
—
“Wherever there is injustice,” intoned Otto. “you will find us. Wherever there is suffering, we’ll be there.”
His face grew troubled.
“Line.”
“Wherever liberty is threatened,” whispered Sushi.
“Wherever liberty is threatened,” he resumed. “You will find…The Three Amigos!”
His face grew troubled again. He turned to Sushi and asked, sotto voce, “Who gets to be the third?”
111024 at 1712
Hee hee!